"Free Day"

kaylamayers

So since I started dieting and exercising a couple weeks ago, I've been letting myself have a "free day" of no diet or exercise. I only do it once a week on Saturday and go right back to my diet on Sunday. Is that horrible? I just figured if I let myself have a free day, then I won't have any crazy cravings that throw my diet off balance.

funkyspunky871

It's fine. I bet, though, eventually you won't need a whole day.... Just a meal or two. And, then, eventually, it won't be every week, but every other week. That's what happened for me. Then, I fell off the wagon a bit, and I feel like I could really use a cheat/free day every now and then. I'm taking one next weekend.

anubis609

Nothin' wrong with it. It's actually beneficial to your metabolism to have free days or "days of increased calorie intake" as I like to call it, because really, that's what it is. And agreed, it keeps you sane :happy:

Enjoy your Saturday free days! :drinker: :smokin:

kaylamayers

Thanks! You guys made me not feel so bad about it.

kaylamayers

Thanks! You guys made me not feel so bad about it.

mjlebsa

Nope. It's a good idea & it gives you the feeling that you're not depriving yourself.

a_dawn

You don't have a lot of weight to lose so I prob wouldn't worry about it. Just don't go too crazy...lol. Personally, I use Saturdays as my free day from exercise, but I watch my calorie intake very closely because I just started and I really like eating healthy and feeling good about my choices. I know how I would feel (at this point) if I did have a free day, BAD. But again, I just started and I don't want anything to tempt me back into the old lifestyle. One suggestion, maybe have your "free" day on food on a day you exercise. That's probably what I'd do. Then I wouldn't feel so bad...lol. But if the free day is working for you, then stay with it. Everyone is different and what may work for one may not work for another. Good luck!

misssmiles

i have a "free day" once every couple weeks... i still log everything though... just as a way to check up on myself. I do find it hard to order a cheeseburger instead of grilled chicken... i also still find myself constantly looking at nutrition information and adding up calories in and calories out... i guess that is my mind letting me know how much i've changed.

webbed1

Well, I disagree. Of course it depends on how strict your diet is throughout the week. BUT, if you can rationalize a "free" day, then why can't you agree on a "super strict" day as well? So a "free day," a "super strict day," and 5 regular diet days. Or get the math nice and tight and reduce the free day excess across the other 6 to make it easier.

I really don't understand those of you who say it is good for your metabolism, but won't agree that a strict day added in is also good. Its along the lines of zig zag, but not as elaborate.

Be careful of the dark horses of delusion, rationalization, and denial. After all, in 3 months, IF you were indeed playing games with the numbers or the program, what you see in the mirror or how you look in a binki or swim trunks isn't going to play along with that game. It will smack you with what is called REALITY. Then will come the plethora of BS excuses and esoteric meanerings through putative differential physiology, hormonal relativity, etc etc ad obeseum that come across as "well dieting doesn't work for my body type."

Look it is all about YOU. I am not saying you need to look like x or y, or anything. YOU come up with what your goal is. But I do subscribe to a couple of axioms, and want more people who are REAL about a couple of things:

This s*** is HARD. I'm a little hungry right now. Sometimes I wish I had some magical solution.
There are NO magical solutions, well maybe surgery if you really overweight. But isn't that just NO BS IMPOSED caloric restriction? Your portion sizes JUST got decided for you. Period.
We MUST measure accurately our portion sizes, calories, whatever, and systematically decrease them to a maintenance point. Believe me, you can find lots of people here and throughout the world who will join in on the chorus of delusion, rationalization, and denial. Misery loves company.

Playing games won't get you where you want to be. Believe it. It is all up to you and you alone. I want my goal so bad, and so determined-- I want what I see I can look like MORE than a free day or a cookie or such.

Christine237

I think "free days" are ok as long as you are the type of personality that can get right back on track so you don't slip back into bad habits..
"Free days" seem to derail me, so while I take them (because I'm still trying to just start this journey) - it's not something that's good for me because I keep going for weeks!

It's all about your personality and the amount of progress you've been able to make in changing your habitual choices. If it's easier to automatically make the right choices most of the time, why beat yourself up about trying the cake at a wedding or something?
After all, we have to make these changes for life.